Re: updating a sequence

On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 5:33 PM, Samuel Gendler
<sgendler@ideasculptor.com> wrote:
> On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 4:28 PM, John Fabiani <johnf@jfcomputer.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Tuesday, November 15, 2011 08:33:54 am Richard Broersma wrote:
>> > On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 8:06 AM, John Fabiani <johnf@jfcomputer.com>
>> > wrote:
>> > > alter sequence somename restart with (select max(pk) from sometable).
>> > >
>> > > I need this for automating an ETL (using pentaho).
>> >
>> >
>> > http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/interactive/functions-sequence.html#FUNC
>> > TIONS-SEQUENCE-TABLE
>>
>>
>> I don't see how that helps answer my problem.  I know how to update a
>> sequence.  I want to pass a value for the restart vaue that depends on a
>> query
>> - all in one statement.  I would think it is a common problem i.e.
>> migrating
>> data.
>>
>
> use a subquery to set the value -
> select setval('foo', select max(some_id) from some_table)
> It's all right there in the docs that you were pointed to. We try to
> encourage people to be somewhat self sufficient around here.

You need to wrap a subselect in ():

select setval('foo', (select max(some_id) from some_table));

That works in 9.1.1.  No clue about previous versions off the top of
my head, but I seem to recall it doesn't work in 8.3 and prior
versions.